The Magnificent Bastard Villain

"He is brilliant and utterly devious, to an almost breathtaking, mind-boggling degree. Call it genius, call it virtual omniscience, but he always seems to know what everyone else is planning at any given moment, and exactly how to arrange the game so he wins even when he is defeated. Didn't See That Coming doesn't derail him; he can always adapt.

He is a smooth operator. He always knows exactly what to say to position you where he wants you, always has a backup strategy and never loses his cool. Even if on the remote chance something happens that wasn't in his plans, you'd never know it from his actions.

 He has a goal, he's not going to stop until he's completed it, whatever it is. To that end he will do almost anything. He'll move heaven and hell. Despite his choice of tactics, he is rarely if ever pointlessly cruel, and has a reason for everything he does.

He is charismatic, often charming, his personality like a physical force. People tend to like him, sometimes even when they know he isn't on their side, and even those who hate his guts have to admit respect. Even when at his darkest, he has traits which one can't help but admire.

While usually an antagonist, especially if he's the Big Bad, the Magnificent Bastard can be aligned on either side of a conflict. Hell, he's so amazing he tends to forgo the idea of good and evil altogether, instead following his own agenda, choosing to help whichever side will further his goals. However, it's true that his penchant for manipulation at the expense of others means it's common for him to be a Villain, Villain Protagonist, or at least an Anti-Hero, but purely heroic examples exist. Either way, he's almost always in charge of whatever organization he's involved with, or might as well be.

~ TV Troupes on Magnificent Bastard

Today I'm outsourcing to TV Troupes and having you read How To Write a Magnificent Bastard. The type of villain that is always recognizable and, when done right, always pays off. You can read all about it Here.